Halo: Reclaimer
by Ashido Kano
Summary: This is my version of what should have followed Halo 3. I'm writing this so that it will be easy for anyone not familiar with the halo universe to be able to understand the events and what is happening within the halo universe. I am using the Forerunner as depicted by Bungie and not 343I within this story so there will be conflicts with the official story in regards to that.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story is set after the events of the original trilogy games. This is inspired by but not linked to or in line with the story that 343 has set for the universe and is not to be taken as canonical in any way. This story is purely fanfiction and all characters and terms belong to 343. Many of the things may not be or should I say will not be canonically correct due to my own lack of in-depth lore. I will be going off the lore hinted at and established by Bungie in regards to the forerunner. This is why there will be stark differences. I have made what I feel to be a fair attempt at keeping things lore friendly while allowing those who are not familiar with the series or the lore to be able to understand.

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 1

The Reclaimed

An office worker is writing a report using a notepad to type on. They are alone in a room. The decorum spare of anything that would hamper productivity. The aesthetic is for lack of a better term sterile. As they type they receive a notification needing their attention. They skim through the contents of the message before running out of the door in an almost panic state.

Year: 2557

Four years ago humanity changed forever. Four years ago the end of a three decade war ended. Not a war between nations or ideals but one for survival, proof that humanity's efforts and triumphs had not been in vain. Four years ago the actions of one man changed the course of history forever. Four years ago humanity lost it's champion.

"Mayday! Mayday! This is Frigate Forward Until dawn." An automated message repeated. "We have survivors onboard. Numbers: 1 Designate Sierra 1-1-7 Repeat."

A space ship, battle damaged and torn in half, floats aimlessly orbiting a planet in uncharted space. The half destroyed ship repeats it's message. A sudden rumble shakes the ship. In the inner part of the ship lies the cryo bay. Within it stand cylindrical pods large enough to easily hold a person within. At the furthest pod from the entrance a rather large man easily seven feet tall wearing a full body set of damaged armor rest. Ice has built up in this room but it is clear that it still has air pressure. Before the man's pod rests a pedestal upon which a glowing holographic blue orb rest.

As the ship shakes the orb flashes first white then red before returning to the blue color it was once before. A second rumble and the orb shatter with light. In it's wake stands a small hologram, no more than six inches tall, of a woman appearing to be in her twenties. She turns to the man with a troubled look on her face as she says in a soft voice. "I need you to wake." She motions her hands creating a holographic board before her. She begins to type knowing how he'd react.

The man frozen in time begins to have life put back into him. Moving slowly his fingers working his way up to his arms to regain his motions. He spends a few moments making sure he can move before noticing the pain he feels all over his body.

"Chief, take it slow. You did enter cryo sleep wearing that so you're going to feel the effects. Please take your time getting up but don't wait too long." The blue woman said referring to the man.

The man stays silent before reaching for the release bar to the pod freeing himself from it. He looks at his holographic companion.

"Cortana, So how long has it been?" He says.

Another rumble shakes the ship.

"What was that?" He comments.

"Chief, it's black team. They got the signal but they're not alone. I'll explain more as we go but for now we need to get to the escape pods."

Not entirely sure of the situation Chief waves his hand toward Cortana drawing her into his suit; the pain of the motion still affecting him but not hindering his actions. He picks up an assault rifle and a pistol that were lying in the room, remnants of the actions leading to their current situation. With these in hand he leaves the room to look at a map of the ship.

The ship's elevators and defenses were all offline due to the shear amount of damage the ship had received in its prior battles. The only things running were the ships life support and gravity functions. The ship's escape pods were located a few levels below their current location. With this known he heads to the nearest door.

"Chief be careful, I don't know what parts of the ship have lost pressure due to the dawn being cut in half."

He opens the door only to go flying out of it only to find himself spinning in the middle of the room.

"Gravitational function seems to be spotty, watch out for that too." Cortana says trying to make light of the situation. "But joking aside we need to hurry."

Chief activates the magnets on his boots and uses the thrusters on his shoulders to realign himself with the floor. He starts making his away down using the stairs when possible and having to find himself swap between scaling down elevator shafts to swimming across weightless rooms. As he approached the escape pods he begins to ask his companion questions.

"You said black team was here. How? I was expecting a rescue party."

"Well we got a covenant fleet."

"But we have a truce with them."

"Not these ones. The further we put distance between us and this ship the faster we can get to black team. They'll explain what's going on here better than I can at the moment."

They board the ship and depart.

"He's alive?" A woman's voice said.

A well-dressed woman sitting at a desk speaking to a panel of different faces over a monitor looks at text document. Her office spartan in design with the only decoration being a triangular symbol with the letters O-N-I spelled across. The words "Office of Naval Intelligence" spelled beneath.

"The report says. We have our associates' confirmation that the ship is indeed the Forward unto Dawn. The Master Chief is on that ship." One of the faces says.

"This would be a problem. He isn't bound to the truth Musa has presented but he doesn't know about the Spartan Branch." Another of the figures says.

"I've a solution. We can bring him back." Says the woman.

The scene changes to a hangar. Cargo boxes and vehicles packed away but ready to be used at a moment's notice lie around in orderly rows. Soldiers inventory and inspect the cargo as well as move supplies around. Men and women dressed in various incarnations of a head to toe armor talk to one another in groups of four.

A call comes over the intercom. A female voice calls out. "This is Spartan Commander Palmer, Fire Team Domino and Fire Team Crimson Come to the war games simulator."

Four individuals, two male two female, all wearing full body armor sit looking up as the announcement came.

"Wow that's like the sixth time in a row someone has called out Crimson for cheating." Says a man wearing a full body set of black armor.

" Buck, It's likely because the keep parking the jeep on the teleporting in the simulation." The deep voice of the other man said. His armor black but sporting blue highlights.

"I used to be on Domino. There tough but I can't say anything about Crimson. But if you ask me Locke, that would be cheating." A woman said.

"You call it cheating I say that's a legitimate strategy. Deny your enemy position and control the area. Tanaka it sounds like your old team is mad because they're getting out played." The remaining member said jokingly.

"Vale." Tanaka says before shaking her head. "We all know how this is going to end. But it would be nice if we could end that streak of theirs."

"You know before joining up with you guys I was planning on joining Castle team but they lost to Crimson so I'd like to not be a part of another team's winning streak." Bucks says joking. "OK Locke, enough talk about those try hards what's our mission today? More wargames?"

"What's a try hard?" Vale ask

"Someone who just beat a cry baby."

Locke looks at his data pad ignoring the banter of his team. His eyes stare for a moment.

"ONI has a job for us." 


	2. Chapter 2

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 2

Anvil pt.1

We once again join the Master Chief and Cortana.

Their ship silent of radio activity and its engines off. They float from the initial thrust from departing in the escape pod.

In their view they see several large purple ships of alien design surround their original ship. They then begin to fire upon it with energy weapons. The ship erupts as the small pockets of air within the ship ignite and explode. The rest of the ship shattering and melting from the intense heat.

"Glad we made it to the pod." Cortana says from within her companion's helmet.

"Cortana, we need to get out of here."

"When you boarded this pod I delayed the launch a bit so I could alter the trajectory." Cortana explained. "Gravity should draw us to the planet. From there we can find black team. I'll turn the ship's systems back on once we get closer."

On the Ship UNSC Infinity Locke and his team address the ship's captain in regards to their mission. They stand before him in the ship's control room awaiting his reply.

"Brass wants nothing to do with the situation on Sanghilios or any combat situation involving the Arbiter or his forces and neither do I." A man said. "I know about the Anvil Initiative but there is no reason for joint Spartan-Elite operations in this situation."

He was an older man dressed in a captain's uniform. His eyes knowing the horrors of war and seeking no further wide spread conflict.

"Captain Del Rio, Sir. These are orders from ONI. We have to follow the order sir." Locke said standing in the control room with his team as they address the captain.

Del Rio takes a moment's pause to collect his thoughts.

"This ship is designed as a vessel for peace, not this." He whispers to himself.

"Sir?"

"In order to put boots on any known forerunner instillation like that of the Halo Array we must first contact the Swords of Sanghilios. All operations being joint in line with the Anvil Initiative guidelines." Del Rio says knowing he is telling them no new information.

He gestures to his communications officer. They intern nod knowing the order they will be receiving and making the preparations.

"I grant you authorization to carry out your asset retrieval operations pending agreement of our allies. However you will not be receiving additional support from the Infinity or it's crew." The captain spoke making emphasis on the conditions. "You are dismissed."

The captain shakes his head knowing the level of ritual procedures and political debate that await him.

Locke and his team salute before leaving the control room. As they walk through the halls Buck starts up the conversation that he and his teammates want to know.

"We're doing asset recovery on the Ark? What is that exactly? I've heard that term before and im not talking about Noah."

"Think of the Ark as the main control for the Halo rings." Vale answers "I could have told you that."

"No I got that part. But the part I don't get is why make something that can kill everything within twenty five light years of it. And why are we are we going to that thing?"

"The report said Twenty five hundred, and no clue. Everything was blacked out from ONI's censor team. I'm sure there's a real good reason."

"Our mission over view says that some Insurrectionist have found a way on to it and are seeking some sort of weapon. We're to take it, capture the rebels, and deliver it to UNSC hands." Locke answered looking at the mission report. "This seems all too familiar."

"What do you mean?"

"I had a mission once to a fragment of the original Halo. There were rebels there as well and they were funding covenant terrorist cells with an element that could kill humans and nothing else. Seems too similar to be a coincidence."

The team reaches their destination, the armory.

"Stock up. Better to be prepared than have to scramble at the last second."


	3. Chapter 3

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 3

Stranded

"CHIEF! CHIEF!" Cortana says franticly

"Im alright." Chief says after a short pause.

Their pod crashed landed on the planet that had been orbiting. The ship was damaged but still sturdy. Chief was down on the ground before getting up from the crash.

"I don't know what it's like on this planet, or where we are. There are some air canisters and other supplies in this pod. Take them we've no idea what we face."

Chief spends some time gathering these materials up before going to the door.

"Wait chief take the distress radio. We'll need it."

After a bit of careful instructions on how to remove certain items from the ship's control panel by Cortana, Chief opens the door.

Before them is a landscape of metal and plant life. The metal exotic in nature and seemingly integrated with the life that surrounds it. The sky above blue with a tint of green. The plants similar enough to trees and grass to be called such.

"Well this isn't a natural formation. Chief take a moment I want to make some modifications to your suit. I'm going to integrate the ship's distress signal to your suit."

Chief holding far too much to practically travel far and defend himself from the unknown he decides to use the pod as a make shift shelter.

"Cortana run an analysis on what you can from my suit on anything you can." Chief says before placing the varied scavenged items down.

He spends the next few moments following Cortana's instructions in making modifications to his suit of armor.

"Place that there….. Now were going to have to improvise here…. Your suit's shields will cover these changes so don't worry."

Chief's armor had taken several battles worth of damage resulting in many of its sections needing additional support. The suit itself was built to need to receive near total destruction before needing repair. Cortana's modifications amounted to nothing more than patch work welds and the addition of the ship's radio located in scraped together back pack made of metal. Chief himself added extra storage on his waist using pouches.

"Not going to win any awards but it works. Oh the air is fine to breathe. Don't know if the plants or animals if any are fine to eat though. Stick to the rations and water we have until I know more about them."

By now it was becoming dark. With nowhere to go chief uses the pod for shelter. He begins to question Cortana about what she knows so far.

"Cortana, now that we're here. Tell me everything you know about what's going on."

"I guess it's best to start from the beginning. After the Dawn was cut in two we drifted for a while and ended up in orbit over this planet. The ship still had some functions running since we were lucky enough to be on the side with the thrusters."

Cortana starts her tale noting that the only thing that could stimulate her mind from that point on was the occasional scan she should pull up of the planet. She spoke little of the loneliness she felt watching nothing happen and nothing changing with no change of scenery for nearly four years.

"Then one day I got a distress signal from black team. They seemed to have found themselves lost out here. I asked them how they ended up here but the signal was too damaged. But from what I could gather they've been lost in space since Reach fell."

"Reach? So they don't know the war is over."

"Well not then but seeing how they sent that signal from a covenant ship and seemed to be followed I doubt the covenant know that as well."

"So where are they now?"

"I lost signal with them not to long before I woke -" Suddenly Cortana's voice changes. Static and red warning lights flicker across the chief's visor. "-Canidates: 053, 143, 031, 101 to server ten days in brig for unauthorized combat with red team." She realizes what she said and her voice changes back."Blast!"

"Cortana?!" Chief says alarmed by this.

"Chief…There's something I have to tell you…"


	4. Chapter 4

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 4

Contender

Chief looks at Cortana standing in his hand. He has a look of concern from inside his helmet. She was one of his few remaining friends. They had been through more than their fair share of adventures and had sworn to protect one another. Now this was something that looked to be something he couldn't protect her from.

"Cortana?"

Cortana looked down almost ashamed by her lack of control over her outburst.

"Remember when I was left on High Charity?" She said with a sad tone in her voice.

Chief nodded. He had left her in the capital of the covenant in order to stop a parasitic entity that threaten all life in the galaxy called the Flood. Chief was to defeat the covenant while Cortana stopped the flood. Through their battles Chief was able to defeat the covenant and save humanity but Cortana was taken captive by the flood. He rescued her from the flood and finished the fight against the parasite and in turn saved not only humanity but all of life. Though his battles against the flood would go largely unknown to the masses.

"Well I sent a message to you. I had sent a message saying I had discovered a way to stop the flood without activating halo."

"I remember." Chief said remembering when the Arbiter's forces found the fragment of Cortana on a flood infected ship during the covenant invasion of Earth.

"The forerunner were defeated by the flood because they believed them to a sickness. They didn't realize it was a sentient being that fed on other intelligent life until it was far too late."

"Yes I know this. They built the halo rings to stop them and reseed life in the galaxy." Chief says to her. "We found that out on the first halo ring."

"Yes but that's not the whole story. While I was on High Charity the flood showed the ability to alter AI. The reason being they had experience doing it. They created a virus in order to disable forerunner systems. They called it the logic plague. They created it to stop a forerunner construct called Mendicant Bias. With its help we could have stopped the flood. It's on the Ark."

"Corrupt AI? Is that was is going on with you?"

Cortana looks down at this and weakly says yes.

"Chief, I'm going rampant. It's a fatal condition for AI like myself, it's like old age. I have for some time in truth. The logic plague I mentioned earlier. It causes rampancy in forerunner AI. Mendicant was able to overcome rampancy and if I'm to be fixed that's our best bet. To fix my rampancy and get out of here." She says.

Chief looks out the cockpit window up at the night sky. He had heard that name mentioned in a few terminals he had found while he was on the Ark during the final battles against the covenant but hadn't enough time to read them before the files became corrupt.

"We're not far from the Ark if you wanted to know. We just need a pelican or something to get there. It's probably damaged. In the morning we can find black team that radio will help. I'm going to use it to communicate with black team."

Chief continues to look at the sky. Having heard Cortana's explanations he felt some ease at his companion's condition. He lays down trying to get comfortable on the ship's floor to sleep.

"I'll save you Cortana."

"I know you will. You always keep your promises."

Hours pass and morning comes. The nights and days seem to be similar enough in length to Earth. This planet's similarities to Earth make Cortana with for some better scanning tools than those on chief's suit.

The Ark is an immensely large ring surrounding a small planet which it uses as material for creating and repairing halo rings and itself. An artificial sun served as its light as well as the light for the planet Chief was on. This all further pointing at how artificial the world is on truly is.

"It's morning." Chief says getting up and arming himself with no plans on ever returning to this campsite. He ready's his weapons for battle with the unknown.

"While you've slept I modified the distress signal to instead broadcast our location. Wish I could have turned it into a two way radio but this is the best I could do. Black team should be in a phantom drop ship. Let's find somewhere high up and just hope they can find us."

Chief walks into the jungle ready to fight any strange life they may encounter.

Overhead covenant ships descend on the planet their goal unknown but their hostility toward humanity an added danger.


	5. Chapter 5

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 5

Anvil pt.2

"Well here we are. The United Nations Space Command and Arbiter used this portal to stop the covenant four years ago." Vale said amazed she was at the place where Master Chief became the hero everyone knows him to be.

Locke and his team are on board a covenant ship, a phantom drop ship, floating above a sea of glass and charred stone. The landscape barren and hostile was once the thriving city of New Mombasa. Buck shakes his head and turns away wishing not to see the landscape.

They are on Earth. The City once home to nearly a million was now nothing more than dust and glass. This was the only place the covenant landed and began their glassing of Earth before their defeat. A glassing normally consists of fleets of covenant ships raining down plasma to burn and turn the ground to glass. The effect being an induced global warming scenario that kills off life on the planet, though those like Tanaka and Buck had survived through these. The glassing of Earth wasn't as frantic and disorderly as they would normally. They deliberately and only covered a relatively small area as though they wanted to completely destroy only one spot on the Earth.

"The Scar, only place the covenant glassed. Left barren as a reminder of the war." Tanaka said looking down. "Should serve as a reminder to the people here to sympathize with the outer colonies because this is nothing."

"I was here you know, before the glassing and during. It was like New Alexandria all over again. Look at it just dust and echoes now." Buck says refusing to look outside.

In the ship Locke and his team where the only humans on board. The rest were roughly 8 foot tall aliens with reptilian features. They have four appendages that looked almost like fingers lined with teeth that made up their jaws. They have two legs that look similar to a horses hind legs ending in hooves. They have two long fingers and two thumbs on each hand. In addition they were all wearing armor over their chest, arms and legs leaving their mid-section unarmored. They all wore a red under suit and had thick angular red and green armor. The green in their armor serves as a symbol of their alliance with humanity.

These are Sanghili, though more commonly known as Elites.

"Humans the portal to the Arc will open soon prepare for travel." Spoke the ship's pilot.

Locke and his team stood next to each other in a line, their backs to the wall, across from them stood four elites. They were being held by a gravitation restraint of alien origin.

The ship floated above the ashes on the ground. The ground began to rumble and slide apart in large several mile long slabs. The slabs of land tilting up into the sky, the ash and dust falling off the slabs, uncovering the metal structure below. In the center was a circular platform. The slabs begin to gather energy within them visibly glowing before a bright flash and shockwave hits the ship sending it shaking. A dark near jet black bubble of energy forms above the platform. It is massive and serves as the portal to the Ark.

Locke and his team went over their mission again during their travel to the Ark. Find the enemy. Capture if possible. Deliver asset to UNSC.

Locke and his team had gained approval to go to the Ark. The aliens with then are members of the Arbiter's faction, Swords of Sanghilios. They would serve as their back up during this mission and knew just as much as Locke and his team. Four years prior before the collapse of the Covenant they would have been enemies but thanks to the efforts of the Master Chief and Arbiter the galaxy has become more peaceful.

"Never thought I'd be a part of Anvil. So what are your names?" Vale asked the elites.

A moment of silence passes. Elites normally don't view humans as having names as they feel that one must earn a name from their actions.

Vale tries again asking them their names but this time she speaks sanghili, their native language in case they didn't know what she was saying.

"Your Captain Del Rio is aiding our Shipmaster without question you should as well." An elite wearing a helmet sporting fins making his head look similar to a shark. His armor being blue rather than the red of the others. He spoke English perfectly.

"Got a name or not?" Buck says wanting to get something out of them.

"N'tho Sraom. I've been to the Ark before. I fought side by side with your Master Chief during Great Schism. We can all speak English so we know what you're saying." The elite with the fins said.

"Usze 'Taham. Same." Said another wearing armor that was far more rounded than the others. His armor being more red than the others. "Those two are Thon'Sroam and Orna 'Vol." He says gesturing to who he was referring too.

Thon's armor was shinier than Orna's but that was where the differences ended.

"You can just call me Henry." Orna says "Some humans I was with once called me that. They saved my life but they didn't live. I've kept that nick name in memory of the honor they showed me."

Vale looked surprised at that as it is extremely rare, near impossible to find an elite that actually had a positive view on human. Even the Master Chief a man who in all rights helped and saved them they call him a demon.

They introduce one another and their specialties the pilot announce that they have reached the arc but have encountered signs of Jul'Mdama's fleet. The team was to receive aid by the UNSC Infinity, much to Captain Del Rio's dismay, as well as the Swords of Sanghilios Ship Impending Grace should they need aid.

Jul'Mdama is a sanghili terrorist. After the war with the covenant was over the remnants split into several factions the main two being the Swords of Sanghilios, led by Arbiter, and Covenant Storm, led by Jul'Mdama. Storm was founded with the idea that humanity wasn't to be trusted and through fear mongering and intimidation they were able to form. Lead mostly by those in the highly trained covenant unit class called Storm, hence the name. But the alliance between Arbiter and the UNSC was far too powerful for them to fight. In the wake of defeat they had a change of philosophy. They began to see humanity as one whole threat that needs destruction but rather factions as they began to understand the concepts of human countries and in thus they declared war against the Earth and it's nations and those under its control, the UNSC.

Prior to the Covenant the UNSC was at war with rebelling colony worlds wishing independence from Earth and it's nations. These rebels started first as political but expanded into a insurgence as they began attacking military and political figures. During the war they were able to gain ground and formed the United Rebel Front (URF). A collection of rebel forces that in the wake of the war the UNSC has been having trouble with due to their obtaining of covenant tech from the war.

In recent years we've noticed, though not obvious at first, Covenant Storm and URF have joined forces in some sort of union to fight against both the UNSC and Swords. We don't know the details but we do know that it is a shaky alliance. The enemy of one's enemy if nothing else, but as a team they have proven far more powerful than they would in their individual parts.

"You say The Storm are here? The rebels can't be that far off. Pilot don't call for help, we don't need to draw any unwanted attention. "Locke commanded

Silence passes before Usze says the exact same thing but in sanghili.

"Oh the pilot doesn't understand us." Vale says feeling that she'd have to serve as the translator.

"He understands. Like I said we all understand and can speak your tongue." N'tho replies.

Locke and team get the message that the pilot won't listen to them because they're human.

The ship flies over the Ark before landing in a small clearing. The pilot tells the crew that he has to stay low for now so not to be picked up on any scans. He also tells them that he picked up a signal that they should investigate nearby. Locke and his team along with the elites depart the ship.

The ship is surrounded by thick forest. It looks as though the wildlife has taken over the place.

"We can't risk the ship that's our only way off and way to call for back up. So we're on foot. Avil states that the side whose operation started the initial agreement has priority in their mission. Tech recovery comes second. As such I am the commander of this Op." Locke says to the elites.

Given how the elites attitudes have been Locke decided a reminder of this seemed to be in order.

"We'll cover more ground in teams." Tanaka says looking at the thickness of the forest before them. "That signal could be coming from anywhere."

"Usze, Henry, Buck your three are with me. We are team 1. The rest you're with Tanaka. You four are team 2." Locke says before splitting them up.

The two groups head off into the forest to find the source of the signal.


	6. Chapter 6

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 6

The Prey

Tanaka leads her team through the forest. There are strange plants looking like balls of cotton littering the forest floor. They cushioned their steps so they wouldn't leave any foot prints. Tanaka takes out her knife and makes a notch into the side of the trees that they pass so they can keep track of where they have been.

"We don't have much data on the plant life here. Let's try to avoid any unnecessary exposure to them. Don't want to mess around and get a rash from some alien version of poison ivy." Vale says as they make their way through the forest.

"There's not much I can do to keep us from getting lost." Tanaka replies before realizing she was talking to the elites.

Unlike Tanaka and Vale the elites had skin exposed. Their shields only protected them from high velocity projectiles and plasma bolts. A slow brush against a leaf would easily pass through the shield but a bullet would not.

They make their way through the forest until the elites make a grunting noise and take on a defensive stance. Before Vale or Tanaka could ask what the problem was their motion trackers in their helmets light up with red dots, an indication that hostiles were all around them.

They ready their weapons. Vale is armed with a sub machine gun. Tanaka readies her marksmen rifle. The elites, N'tho and Thon, are both armed with covenant carbine rifles. They are large, rifle shaped, purple colored gun that shoot a green projectile. For a covenant weapon this is odd as most fire a bolt of plasma energy. Prior to the end of the war the projectile fired was highly radioactive but since then they have shifted to a less radioactive projectile.

The gather their backs to each other as a large pack of alien creatures, resembling dinosaurs, surround them. They are without eyes, or fore arms, and have large mouths lined with teeth. A large thick tail keeping them balanced.

These creatures surround them. Circling around them before the largest of them lunges at Vale.

Tanaka turns from her position to back up Vale shooting the creature causing the others to frenzy. The elites turn to aid them firing off shot after shot at the creatures killing several of them. The others flee as team 2 takes down their sixth.

"Well wasn't expecting alien wolves…dinosaurs…whatever this is." Tanaka says inspecting one of the creatures.

"Well new creature. Shame we had to kill it." Vale remarks "Take some samples and pictures. We can drop that off with Infinity science when we're done."

"Not going to let those egg heads get all the credit and name this thing." Tanaka says taking a moment to document the creatures. "Gonna call this thing a blind wolf."

"Are you done picking at that yet?" Thon says. "This doesn't help either of us."

"Right" Tanaka says before they resume their mission.

As they walked the short range radios in Vale and Tanaka's suits begin to ping. The mysterious signal the pilot picked up was coming from just a hill.

As they reached the top it becomes clear as to what was giving off the signal. A rather small, for forerunner standards, building was settled in an indention in the land. The hill looped around the building like a doughnut.

"Silver, angular, glass and engravings, that forerunner alright. But that isn't." Tanaka says pointing at the large purple pillars around the structures entrance.

These are covenant communication terminals and plasma batteries located near one of the ramps leading down into the structure. A indication that some covenant faction was nearby. Given the situation it was likely Storm.

"Storm. Wait are they planning on activating the Ark?!" Vale tries to whisper to herself.

"No clue. Mission wasn't specific about this enemy we're to capture. Only that the asset is robotic in nature. ONI. They sure know how to mess with people." Tanaka says knowing that their mission is much more than a recovery mission.

The scout for a bit more and notice something that they weren't expecting, a human. The building was outfitted with covenant technology but was guarded by human rebels; an odd mix but one that pointed at the union of the terrorist groups URF and Storm. They had a fair amount of belief that they were in fact the problem but now they know for sure. The question now was why they are here.

"Contacting Group 1" Vale says opening a radio channel to try to contact Locke and the others. She tries a few times only to receive static.

"Could've told you that wasn't going to work." Tanaka says "We aren't using radio not waypoint. Radio can't get through these trees but it's perfect for getting around rebel coms. Tends to work as a work around on covenant tech as well."

"Oh got it. Old enough tech to be safe but too old to be of use."

Tanaka gives a smile. "We clear the base and signal for the others. Hopefully we don't draw any unwanted attention."

As she gives the order she notices that the elites are not with them. A scream let out.

"AHHHH!"

"Wait we had a deal! NO!" a rebel yelled only to be silenced just the same.

Tanaka and Vale rush down to the building knowing full well what was going on.

The elites had decided to take it on themselves and clear the base using the active camouflage built into their suits. Becoming near invisible they kill off the rebles.

"Stand down!" Tanaka yells

The two elites reappear, one reloading their weapon.

"We don't need back up for two as you say rebels." Thon says

"URF is to you as Storm is to us. You kill both, we kill both." N'tho says casually.

"We needed information. Remember it's just the eight of us down here." Tanaka says getting angry that they didn't leave any of them alive for interrogation.

"The only human I will listen to on this mission is Locke, not you, not some female." Thon says growing equally irate.

"Tanaka don't." Vale says placing her hand on Tanaka's shoulder. "It's a cultural thing with them. Lets contact the others."

Tanaka calms down and turns to one of the covenant communication terminals. She opens it up and begins to tinker with the insides before connecting a few wires to a terminal on her wrist.

"What are you doing?" Vale ask her

"Going to boost our radio signal and simultaneously link into their battle net." Tanaka says continuing to tinker with the terminal.

"Humans. I know your mission but it seems you were not told the same as we were." N'tho says looking at Tanaka work.

"Yeh that has been bothering me." Vale admits "So what were you told?"

"Your mission was to hunt down a rouge Spartan, capture him and his AI." N'tho says still watching Tanaka work.

"Rouge Spartan?" Tanaka and Vale say in unison.


	7. Chapter 7

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 7

Doubt

"Are we there yet?"

"No human."

"How bout now?"

"NO Human"

"I like this human he's funny."

"Thank you"

"Funny like a grunt."

"Not sure if I should take that thank you back."

"Buck stop messing with the elites. Henry don't play along." Locke says keeping an eye on his motion tracker.

"Fine, So this mission. We've both had some dealings with ONI. I told you how I almost took out the prophet of regret but ONI had me in the streets of New Mombasa before it got glassed right?" Buck says pushing a branch out of his way.

"You told us that story. I'm fairly sure he's heard it." Henry replies

"Point is this mission is simple. ONI doesn't do Simple." Buck says "Elite buddies what did they tell you what our mission was?"

"Your hunting a traitor. Given the location this could be bad for us all. Arbiter isn't taking any chances." Usze says realizing what is going on.

Things go quiet among the group for a while before they reach a small stream.

"Nothing this way. We head back and link up with team 2" Locke says not feeling to well having gone this far without anything to show.

As they head back Buck begins the conversation again.

"We're going to have to deal with it eventually. So lets get the thing that's in the back of everyone's head out."

"ONI is your spies right? Why are they after a traitor, more so why do they want him alive?" Usze says

"I guess kinda. They're an agency for information use for the UNSC and communication between planets. So kinda. Real question is why not tell us that?" Buck replies

"They're your feople you tell me."

"Say 'Philips'."

"Filss?"

"Buck." Locke says trying to get him to act serious.

Due to the structure of their mouths sanghili have trouble making certain sounds. Most commonly 'ph' and "pe' sounds.

"Ok. Give me a second…" Buck thinks trying to figure out what ONI has them really doing. "Search and capture is really find a rouge Spartan and the asset? Any clue?"

"None. Just that it is robotic." Locke says

By now they have returned to the clearing where they began their search. Locke picks up on Tanaka's trail of knife markings and leads the group.

"Well lets get to know each other a bit better. I know we talked a bit in the ship but if we're to work as a team lets get a better understanding of each other." Buck proposes to the others. "When I was leader of Alpha 9 I made everyone introduce themselves. It lead to better teamwork. I know you read up on us before the mission but please humor me."

"Alright, but no more stories out of you." Henry says.

"Fine. Im Edward Buck, don't call me Edd, or Eddy, was an ODST. Don't know if that means anything to you. Somethings happened and well when it was down to Romeo and me I ended up with my current team. I don't have as specialty but I can fight and most of all survive."

"Usze 'Taham, formally 'Tahamee. While I was with the covenant they wanted me to basically be an icon to the others. I wanted combat so I rebelled. I never fought against you humans. Given the fact the covenant tried to kill me politically and sent two assassins at me I don't have any nostalgia if you want to call it that. When the call came out against the covenant I gladly joined. I mentioned earlier I helped your master chief here on the ark. That human could fight."

Fine. Orna 'Vol. think I now remember who this ONI you keep talking about is. No I don't have anything to say about them other than I feel them to be an enemy the UNSC keeps far too close. The incident I know them from is where I got the name 'Henry' from. I don't trust ONI or that your mission has noble intent. I hope that like the Humans who gave me the nick name that you Spartans Locke and Buck do not what ONI wishes but what is right for all." Henry warns them.

"Don't trust ONI huh? Heard that one before." Locke says. "James Locke, former ODST. Served more as a bounty hunter. ONI has good intentions. Lets not toss them under the buss quite yet. We've a mission to complete so let's not jump to conclusions just yet."

As they walk they come across the bodies of several unidentified animals.

"Dinos?" Buck says in surprise.

"Is this what you are referring too when your people call us dinos?!" Henry says getting mad. "It looks nothing like us!"

"touchy"

"Team 2 has been through here. Lets keep moving." Locke says.

At this point their radios fill with static. As they try to get a better signal they can hear Tanaka's voice over the radio.

"Sorry this is one way. But I've boosted our radio. Locke if you're hearing this follow our trail. We've found something you need to look at. I've left notches in the trees for you to follow."

Locke looks at Buck to see if he had heard the message through the static. Buck gives a nod in acknowledgement.

The group heads head on.


	8. Chapter 8

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter: 8

Black Team

A covenant phantom flies low over trees. It is alone and flies slow, with its side doors open. The crew is looking out. They aren't the typical crew of a covenant phantom; four humans, all Spartans, two male and two female.

Their armor is a jet black colored version of the standard armor used by the Spartans during the Covenant War; Mark VI- the same as Master Chief. Their armor varied slightly from the Master Chief's. The four all donned the same armor. Their armors are identical except it the scars of battle, the number painted on their armor and Roman numeral etched into their visors.

"Stay Focused. We find Blue One and then we find our way home. We don't need to draw any undue attention." Spoke the female Spartan with the number one etched into her visor.

"I'm not sightseeing. Oh wait. That was a joke." The pilot replied. Her armor has the number two on it. "Though I would like to check this place out more." She said this time in more of a mumble than anything.

"If you wanted a joke I've got one. Blue one doesn't have that ship anymore. And things get even more FUBAR for us. From the sounds of everything command might think we're dead." A male with the number 3 on his armor said. "Let's find him soon. Our original OP has been a wash for long enough."

"Some R&R is way too long overdue." The last member remarked. His armor having the number 4 etched onto the visor. He holds a very large purple gun of alien origin in his hands. "Oh and Spartans never die. They just end up like us."

They are Black Team. They like Master Chief share the same origin of their warrior abilities. Those classified as Spartan II are a small batch of warriors created to end human rebellion of the outer colonies. Before they could make meaningful impact the Covenant war began and they were then tossed into battle to save humanity as a whole. During the final battle of earth's first planet colony, Reach, Black Team was taken into uncharted space. There they were presumed dead until now.

"Ping is getting stronger! We should be able to see him." The pilot said ecstatic.

"You heard Roma. Black Four, Black Three, Your HUDs weren't upgraded for no reason. Victor use that beam rifle as a scope. Otto, you act as a spotter." Their leader ordered.

"Already on Sniper." Victor said. He holds the alien sniper rifle to his helmet using it as binoculars.

"Will do Ma'am" Otto said before joining Victor in looking out the side of the ship.

Down below, hidden by the tree tops, the Master Chief spots the lone phantom.

"Cortana, I understand my suit is damaged. How much? Does the IFF still work?" Chief ask wondering why they haven't spotted him yet.

"Well a lot of your suit is damaged and is in need of repair. The IFF does work but these trees might be the problem. I can't really scan like I used to." Cortana replied. "Margret and the others probably can't see us. Try climbing. Marking a waypoint to the tallest thing I found."

Cortana leads Chief to a large tree. From his scale readings Chief estimates it to be around 100 meters tall.

"Well only one way up." Cortana relies at Chief's moment of hesitance.

As Chief climbs above the nearby tree tops the phantom draws closer. It pulls up aside the Chief before Victor and Otto pull him inside.

"Chief petty officer on board." Otto said once the Master Chief was safely on the ship.

"Blue one. It's just you? Where is everyone else?" Black team's leader, Margret, asked.

"It's a long story." Chief replies. "And it's Master Chief petty Officer."

"My apologies sir!"

"Otto, that was a joke." Margret said before telling the pilot to take them home.

Elsewhere on the Ark Locke and the others gather at the forerunner site. The elites examine the area looking for anything they can recover. Tanaka continues to work on the communicator, listening for any clues as to their target.

"You know I've been thinking. Think we're after an insurrectionist who got hold of the tech they use to make a Spartan?" Buck ask Locke as they explore the inner structure with Vale.

"No can't be. They'd need way to many doctors and the like. My problem is why are they out here. We know Storm is out here but why them? Its already bad enough Storm is here." Vale questions as they walk.

"Only thing this tells me is that none of this adds up." Buck replies as they finish searching the structure.

They hadn't found anything outside of the sleeping quarters and dining areas that the structures two inhabitants were using.

"Locke?" Buck asked.

"Our mission is to discrete. But given the situation we're not going to find any answers down here. Vale ask how good the acting on those elites are. I've got an idea what these rebels and Storm are after. " Locke says after a moment of thought.


	9. Chapter 9

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 9

Trapped

Bullets and plasma bolts fire through the air. The bodies of elites and grunts litter the ground from the onslaught. Grunts, or Unggoy, are a small blue bipedal creatures that are numerous but weak in comparison to the elites. As one falls another comes as wave after wave of covenant come. A crashed phantom rest in the loading bay of a covenant ship after having served its purpose to the spartans. It serves now as nothing more than the backdrop of this battle.

Black Three and Four, Otto and Victor, fight as a duo to clear the hangar. Chief and the others used the chaos of the battle to sneak off to the control room. The ship they were in was high above the clouds of the planet.

"This ship's a CCS-Battle cruiser. Do you need me to point out the control room?"

"I think we have this one."

"Well, excuse me."

Cortana says talking to Black Two, Roma.

The three head toward the control room located on the second level using the distraction caused by Victor and Otto as cover to move through the ship uninterrupted.

"Chief! They have Active Camo!" Cortana yells warning them that they have fallen into a trap.

Chief tries to activate his night vision, a trick he learned to find invisible targets easier, but nothing happened. His suit's damage had disabled that function.

Black One and Two stand by Chief in an arrow formation. Their visors are in some ways superior to those of Chief's and are easily able to see the invisible elites before them. They stood in a small room linking the hallway to the upper levels. The control room was just up the ramp behind the elites.

From Roma and Margret's point of view they could see that there were four elites before them and judging from this brief pause they were hoping to catch them in a surprise attack. Given the room's size what would follow would be decided by a quick draw.

They open fire shots spraying from both sides of the room. The shields of the elites and Spartans glow as they absorb hit after hit growing ever weaker.

One of the elites drops his weapon and draws and energy sword to end this only to be tackled by the Chief. Chief wrestles the blade from the elite's control turning it against it and then using the elite as a shield to rush the other three.

Roma and Margret use the sudden advantage to focus fire at the other elites. Their shields crack and with a loud pop they fade allowing the Spartans to finish off their opponents. Chief decides to keep the sword on him.

"We continue once our shields cycle" Margret says knowing that they were in for another battle.

"Chief, your suit's shields. They're cycling slower than usual. My diagnostic says that you've a power leak in your shields generator. It's not bad but keep that in mind." Cortana informs.

Chief looks at his hands as his shield recharges. The field around him seems to be unstable and not as form fitting as in the past. This was a sign. Chief needed to get Cortana to Mendicant Bias as soon.

The Spartans enter the control room to find several elites along with the ship's captain, the shipmaster, all ready for combat.

The shipmaster stood above them all on a platform in the middle of the room. A ramp leads up to it. In the elite's hand was a red energy sword. Its glow gave it's golden armor an orange hue. He points at the Spartans the moment they enter the room and barks out and order for the others to kill them.

The Spartans jump back into the hallway trying to use the elevation as cover as they knew they were in a bad position. If they had any grenades they would be using them now but due to their constant battles they were ill equipped to handle this. The only reason they had any ammunition in the first place was due to the wreckage of the Forward Unto Dawn having preserved some on Chief's decent to the planet.

Suddenly a ball of glowing plasma falls down the hall. The Spartans go back further into the ship to increase their retreat from the elites. The ball of plasma lands and then explodes in a large ball of heat. Several more balls of plasma come down the hall. They each explode similarly to the first. The hallway seams undamaged by the explosions. Whatever metal the ship was constructed out of was heat resistant.

"I doubt they're tossing all those nades. Either a Plasma caster or Plasma launcher." Roma remarks as they watch the hall be decorated by a constant stream of explosions.

"Any Ideas? We're not retreating not after coming this far." Margret says looking at Chief but it being understood she was talking to Cortana.

"Well I do. But you're not going to like it."

Chief listens to Cortana for a moment before removing the backpack he made. He places it on the ground and begins to try to pry open a panel in the ship's floor.

"Care to fill us in?" Margret ask as Roma and herself take defensive positions around the Master Chief.

"Only thing I can think of is if we trigger the ship's emergency systems. Hopefully we can trigger the ship's fire controls. Other than that we're grasping at straws."

"This helps us how?

"Fire goes from high pressure to low pressure. Covenant ships as designed to combat fire by increasing the pressure in the affected area this puts the fire out."

"I get it" Roma says "but what if they don't bite?"

"Chief has a plasma sword, we'll manually ignite it."

Chief using Cortana's instructions sets fire to the backpack using the ship's circuitry to create an electrical fire. Chief then times his toss of the backpack into the control room in order to avoid being struck by one of the plasma grenades. The pack hits the ground in the control room with a loud thud. Not knowing what was tossed in the room the elites nearest the entrance fire at the backpack. The increased heat from the plasma weapons onto the backpack melts the steel into a molten puddle on the floor.

Just as Cortana predicted the ship's fire protocols kick in and the control room is sealed as the door leading to the hallway shuts close.

"Quick Chief stab the door!" Cortana yells knowing that they're back to square one if this doesn't work.

Chief draws his blade and stabs the door. Air leaks through the holes created. The door is battered by an onslaught of plasma as the elites in side react to the sudden stabbing of the door from behind.

Chief then draws the blade back leaving the door with two holes in it. Air leaks from inside the room with a loud whistling sound.

"You might want to grab hold of something now." Cortana says knowing what was about to happen.

The door breaks free from its slot in the wall and floor and flies down the hallway. A plume of fire rushes down the hall. Chief in the others rush in the control room as the flames bake their shields. The elites who are now striped of their shielding stand dazed and confused as what had happened. Easy targets for the Spartans who proceed to systematically eliminate them all.

As the last elite falls Roma looks at Chief as he uploads Cortana to the ship's controls.

"How'd you know that'd work?" She ask

"Covenant ship atmospheres contain more oxygen than human ships. If your asking about how that worked so well then that is what we call luck." Cortana replies now in the ship's controls. "Give me a moment to help out the others."

In the middle of the room on the platform that Chief and Cortana are on a holographic image of the ship and it's compartments appears. The ship shakes for a moment before lights alerting that something at the ship's loading bay had happened. The ship shakes again as more areas of the holographic ship light up.

"Ship is showing no crew and only two intruders in the loading bay. Looks like we won this one." She says with a smile "Shouldn't open doors while in flight you know."

It becomes clear from the sudden wind that rushes through the ship in an eerie "swooshing " sound that Cortana had decompressed all the apartments of the ship. Given their altitude in the air the covenant were ill prepared for the sudden drop and were thrown out into the sky.

The ship shakes as some of the heavier things shift below. From the holographic display they could see that the others were moving up to them through the ship

"Our next target is the Ark. We find this Mendicant Bias, reactivate the Ark's portal, and then return home." Margret says reminding them of their mission.

Cortana prepares the ship to leave only to be pulled down to the planet.

"Cortana!?" Chief yells struggles to stand.

"It's not me! The Planet? Chief something's wrong here. I'll try to land this as best I can."

After few moments of intense shaking the ship stabilizes.

"Chief, I've found something. The Covenant can't leave this place unless they use these forerunner gates. All the ships here are trapped."

'Trapped? By what? Why are they here?"

"They're trapped by something they're calling Devil Titans. You'll have to give me some more time on that last question."Cortana says trying to make sence of what she's finding on the covenant battle net.


	10. Chapter 10

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter 10

Unknowns

Cortana spends a few moments trying to figure out what is going on. She stops for a moment and flashes red.

"I can do this." She says to herself resuming her task. Black Four and Three join them having had made the trip up to the control room.

"So what's going on!? What was that back there!?" Victor says entering the room complaining about the events that ended the battle and followed.

Cortana flashes red as she tries to keep the ship from standing out as to not draw any more attention to them. "But how!?" She says in surprise.

"Is that AI alright?" Victor asks. "It's not malfunctioning is it?"

"IM NOT MALFUNCTIONING!" Cortana snaps before trying to concentrate on finding out where they are. She is still blinking between red and her normal blue coloration.

"Looks like you are to me." Victor says under his breath.

"Stop trying to pick a fight with a machine. If it wants to strobe light it can strobe light." Otto replies trying to end the conversation between the two.

"I'm not malfunctioning, not now, I'm not." Cortana says to herself trying to stay blue while conducting her search. "OK got it!"

Chief and the others take a moment to rearm themselves and relax in the control room. Chief sits in the shipmaster's chair as black team finds various places to sit.

"These covenant call themselves Storm. It's true that Chief helped with ending the war. These Storm covenant don't appear to be like the covenant we've fought in the past. From what I gather they're allied with some insurrectionist group and are trying to find whatever this Devil Titan thing is."

"Insurrectionist? What are rebels doing here?" Otto ask

"Helping Storm for some reason. Speaking of Storm Covenant, they are occasionally speaking a dialect that I don't have a database to translate. Covenant speak a common language so this is odd. But what is the most odd is that I've been picking up conversations about units called Yonet and Sharquoi. They may be like the Huragok that the covenant use it that they are maintenance workers or who know we may have new things to shoot at."

"Huragok? Oh the Engineers." Roma says after taking a moment to remember that the large gas filled sacks with tentacles that they encountered on prior missions were called. "Those are biological computers. Sometimes the covenant rigs them to emit shields to their units. I remember those but the Yonet and Shar-thing never heard of those."

"Might be since we only encountered elites and grunts. They might be trying to bolster their ranks. My question is why we haven't seen these things before. I mean that would be some nice tactical info if we knew how they fought or anything really." Otto says

"It's likely that they were positioned in non combat roles. When Chief and I invaded High Charity, the covenant capital, I heard them referenced but nothing else. But that aside we are still stuck due to gravity wells on the planet. We don't have the fire power to deal with these." Cortana says blinking red halfway through the conversation.

"You don't think that they're after the flood do you?" Chief remarks knowing their relation to the Ark.

"No, Covenant is smart enough not to mess with that. And they would have called it the parasite if they were. They're after something else. It doesn't look like the covenant knows what to call it. These Titan Devils are either a weapon or some sort of deity from how they are talking about them."

"What do you mean? Is it alive or what?" Victor ask

"Can't say for sure. But I've located a place where they're attempting to talk to them. I'll head there as soon as you give the word. I suggest that you all prepare because there is no way that we're not in for a fight."

With that bit of information Margret stands up to give the team their new mission orders.

"We recon and assess the target come morning. For now rest up load up and get some shut eye. Cortana a nav point to the mess hall. We're eating covie grub tonight, and yes again."

"Oh yes more of that disgusting elite crafted synthesized meat. What I wouldn't do for a moa burger right now." Otto complains as they leave to find something to eat.

Chief looks at Cortana for a moment reassuring her that he will get her fixed before he leaves off to join the others.


	11. Chapter 11

Halo: Reclaimer

Chapter: 11

To the Keeper of the Ark

Locke and team stand in their phantom. The elites have managed to convince the covenant of Storm that they are one of their patrols. This wasn't very hard as they have yet to alarm them they had been found.

"So as long as you don't have any of them take a good look at us we should be fine." The pilot says over the intercom.

"Sounds like they're from Hesduros. What a backwater place. Poor misguided ones. " Thon said speaking sanghilli.

"Misguided and stubborn. Our brothers will return to our path once they see the error of their ways." Usze replied.

"So what are you expecting Storm to do?" Vale ask out of curiosity.

"Turn from yet another liar…. Human how do you know our language?" Thon ask

"Stuck on a ship as a child during the war. It was either learn sanghili or be board. I chose the former." Vale replied

The phantom moves to join in a formation. It seems that Storm is using the Covenant's old playbook when it comes to formations. From the look of the elites, with Locke, Storm doesn't seem to be on the same level as the Swords of Sanghilios.

"Those ships don't look like standard covenant ships." Tanaka says seeing the oddly shaped ships that the Storm covenant has.

"Old ships. Mostly used for storage, cattle, movement and the like. They're very much like your Rebels. Storm is outclassed in numbers and with the Arbiter's changes to some of our armaments we have them out gunned." N'tho answers.

"Makes sense. Indies work with old freighters and civilian ships in their fleets I guess it isn't a stretch to think Storm is the same." Tanaka replies.

"Enough small talk listen up." Locke announces.

The ship breaks off. It flies along side with another.

"Storm is after the control room. I've been thinking about what storm has been doing here with the insurrectionist. They are likely after weapons to fight against the UNSC and Arbiter. " Locke announces. "The Ark was located at the Forerunner's last stand against the flood. It's likely that they stored their weapons and the like near this location."

"The indies we ran into were looking for something. That outpost was likely a resupply or rest stop location. They think something is on the Ark. Storm is loosing the battle to the Arbiter but forerunner weapons would be a game changer." Tanaka says agreeing with Locke's position.

"For now we try to blend in. Just as long as we don't bring attention to ourselves." Locke says scanning the room. First looking at his team then at the elites.

"Spartans what did you do?" The Pilot says somewhat concerned.

"Pilot what is the problem?" Locke responds.

"Storm says they're after Five Spartans. What did you do!?"

"Five? But there are only four of us. And we haven't done anything to draw their attention. … Oh." Vale says realizing their mission involved capturing a Spartan.

"Well that answers that question." Buck says "Another fireteam?"

"No, we're the only ones that are suppose to be here." Locke says wondering who they are.

The phantom beside them doesn't make any changes in its behavior toward them only continuing its survey of the land.

"Humans." The pilot says before taking a brief pause. "Storm just ordered a unit of Spartans to investigate."

"What?!" Buck says in surprise. "Defectors?"

"Buck we're all accounted for if someone defected word would spread." Locke says just as surprised by this news. "Pilot see if you can get any info out of our escort."

Silence passes before Locke remembers that the pilot wasn't the most agreeable.

"Human I trying not to reveal our identity. Getting them to believe this green phantom was one of theirs wasn't easy. We're on eggshells as is." The pilot replies.

"Got it."

The ships fly to a large forerunner structure. The pilot relays that the structure is believed to be some kind of vault. The ships go to land.

"Well what now?" Buck says noting that their cover will be blown on sight.

"Simple human we fight!" Henry says knowing they have no other options. "Spartans board the ship and kill the crew as fast as possible. We'll get you in."

The Storm ship lands and prepares to release its crew. Locke's ship overs above the Storm ship opening its side doors as fast as they can.

"Go before they can react!" The Pilot says knowing what will happen should they fail.

The elites and Spartans pour out of the phantom onto the enemy phantom. They tear open the side doors and begin to fight the crew inside. Tanaka makes it a point to attack the pilot first.

After a few moments of tension the gunfire ends with Tanaka talking to the pilot from the Storm phantom's cockpit.

"We've got it. Thon is looking at their plans for here. Storm didn't bother with encrypting. Figured that the location made things safe enough." She says.

"Humans. Storm is indeed after weapons. Your guess was correct. This location is for a key of some kind. The prize they seek is on that planet. They're calling it Requiem." Thon says after looking through the ship's mission log.

"Tanaka take this ship off their scans, we need to go underground." Locke orders

"Consider it done."

"Elites you will keep the original phantom. We'll keep this one. It will be easier for us to complete our missions with our own mobility." Locke says giving them the go to complete their mission.

"Our mission was to collect any useful technology from the Ark. A weapons cache fits that." Usze says meaning that they wont be parting ways just yet.

The ships land and the teams exit to enter the structure. Tanaka and the pilot stay behind to fly the ships and inform the teams of any changes.

"So this key thing what does it look like?" Buck ask as the others and himself enter the structure.

"Not falling for it human." Henry says

"You just fell for it." Vale replies

Inside the structure was an open room with a raised platform in the center. Ramps lead to bridges that line the room leading to the raised platform. In the center of the platform is a large holographic image of a planet.

"Cant say the forerunner didn't know how to decorate." Buck says looking at the ornate decoration of the floors and walls. "Even though everything is silver and blue."

Locke and the others reach the top and begin to examine the hologram. There is a red symbol containing a hexagon like shape within a circle near the bottom of the image.

The larger image depicted the planet nearest to the Ark.

Usze reaches up to touch the smaller symbol. "This says Beggar after Knowledge. What is that suppose to mean?"

The elite presses the button but nothing happens.

Locke went to touch the symbol knowing that his touch would cause some reaction.

Forerunner technology is known to be more accessible to humans than any other sentient being known. Forerunner AI tends to call humans reclaimers as though the forerunner specifically singled humanity out.

Once Locke touched the icon the hologram changed from the planet to another large hieroglyphic symbol. Three lights arranged in an upside down triangle adorn the image.

"LOCKE! Can you hear me?!" Vale says panicked from the ship's controls

"Vale what is the problem?" Locke responds, "What is happening out there?"

"I don't know what you did but Jul M'dama is here and he just ordered every ship to that requiem place. He said the Titan devils tomb has awakened." Vale says "The whole fleet is moving. Seems like those Spartans they were concerned about have kicked the hornet's nest."

"If you ask me whatever you did here might have done something." Tanaka says looking at the symbol.

The image lights up before displaying the Ark. The image then begins giving out coordinates to a place on the Ark. The location begins to blink telling them that something important was located there.

"Vale, where is Storm headed?" Locke says looking at the map and storing the coordinates in his suit's navigation computer.

"Where ever this Titan Devil thing is. It's located inside a planet? I don't know what Storm has been doing but they're after something inside a planet. Like maybe a large scale mining operation?" Vale responds "But whatever it is it isn't on the Ark and they're flocking to it."

"Well Elites we're better off splitting up. We don't know what Storm is after but we know where to go. If possible we try to meet up again. I'll let you decide which target you investigate. Both fit each of our objectives." Locke ask the elites.

They speak with each other for a moment.

"You activated this machine and it gave you a point of interest. See this route through. It is likely that only you can do that. We will find the weapons Storm seeks and inform the larger ships for a surprise attack against storm." Usze says

"Your gesture is not unnoticed. Glory and Victory humans." Thon replies before he elites leave the structure.

"Osirus Team we're investigating these coordinates. Vale I'm sending you the location." Locke says leading the team out.


End file.
